Recently made a topic on improving static orb which I feel is quite lackluster ability and posted that in the feedback section when I feel that I should probably be reserving that for more general suggestions so proceeding with this change of pace. But basically I’m interested in build variety and having builds play and feel differently, which is currently reasonably achieved but obviously as the game is still in a nascent stage there are some rough spots, to me with the mage/sorc right now its static orb and I was also feeing disintegrate needs to be reexamined.
There was a rather deadend reddit discussion on the topic of disintegrate in which I made a comment but felt that with better segmentation topics of here (perhaps discord as well) there is a better oppourtunity to not let it fall to the wayside and hash out focused discussion.
Generally speaking I’d like to see the following changes:
Thematically:
Disintegrate can contrast better in comparison to channeled LB/FB by being more devastating in close range in combination with retaining the scaling oppourtunity being greater depending on time channeled. The base theme is “all in” channeled damage. I like making the damage boardering on obscene but after you stop channeling it leaves you with reduced defenses for short period to both balance how powerful it is sensibly reflect its commital nature when going for the full damage variant of the build rather than just “take more damage” while channeling which feels a bit dull and linear in comparison. It doens’t really make sense your defenses would be lower while channeling but I feel it does after you stop casting (and slightly based on time) because you presumably just exhausted a lot of your energy after channeling it not the second you start. This is also more interesting to play around as far as how hard one shoud commit to channeling.
Channeled FB can stay as the choice for balance of range, damage, damage over time builds.
Channeled LB remains the choice for best range with good damage that is a bit safer to use.
Base Changes:
Range should be 15-20% improved at baseline, with extended range pathing more associated with the mana/debuff section if you want to use this ability more defensively.
Close range enemies take scaling degrees of higher damage.
Tree Specialization Changes:
Mana Regen Variant/Build Path - The additional range changes accessible should be better pathable from this area and debuff section (slow/chill) rather than fire branches so one can safely regain mana quickly and debuff target,
The explosion node should consume however many ignite charges for the full damage of what of remained if it lingered on the target and add this to explosion damage.
The mana ticks shouldn’t come in timed burst but be immediate based on time because its unfun to wait exactly 1 second for a burst of mana and just feels clunky to use.
Laster focus should have two different directions. One is where you make the ability slightly more mana efficient yet good damage, the other is better creating a fully commited mana regen/cc oriented optimization. Make a high commitment node that actually improves the rate of defensive aliments (slow/cc) and mana regeneration and still can path to improved range. This turns the ability into a defensive mana regen laser focus alternative.
The scaling happens too slowly, and fixed tier system I’m not really sure is nessecary and again creates awkward timed breakpoints. I would suggest the improved damage ticks should on every tick of damage at baseline for up to x damage, and the nodes around it potentially either improve the damage scaling rate or damage modifier ceiling.
If you want the damage to be especially crazy the twin beams can slightly reduce range and support the dps scaling while not making the ability just everything that I see and off screen dies as I rotate my character around like a microwave.
Lastly I could imagine it would be fun to not only have this be channeled but also not totally restrict your movement but instead you move slower while channeling (think pheonix from Dota 2). You can’t turn around but can backpedal while channeling, a slight hover animation would be pretty neat (similiar to idle hover animation).
In conclusion it seems like the timidness around making this ability do the damage it should do seems to be connected around the concern of making a ultra powerful super long range beam because the risk is low. Instead it is just a weak ability with both bad range and one that makes you awkwardly wait around until it is strong. So here’s a bunch of ways to work around accomplishing a design that supports either more close range all in damage and further range defensive/cc/mana regen.